You can start a new group in a park where none exists.
We work with volunteer led Friends of Park groups across Bristol to care for and improve our city's green spaces.
View a list of existing Friends of Park groups on our Bristol Parks Forum site.
What Friends of Park groups do
- Consult with park users
- Promote activities and park plans
- Organise events
- Raise money for park improvements
- Organise and deliver group outdoor activities, such as litter picking
Before starting to organise, promote and deliver outdoor activities in your park you'll need to:
- apply to be a Parks Volunteer Lead
- discuss your plans with the Parks team. We'll contact you for an informal chat
- attend our Parks Health and Safety training
- have at least one main contact person for public enquiries and to keep in touch with the Parks team
Once you've completed these steps you can set up a Friends of Park group.
Set up a Friends of Park group
Support for your Friends of Park group
Our team can provide support for your group. As well as general advice, we can:
- liaise with parks decision-makers
- develop your ideas into proposals for our Parks team
- help structure your group
- identify appropriate funding opportunities
- signpost to other support
Key contacts for park volunteers
We also have a pdf Key Contacts for Bristol Park Volunteers(595 KB) directory which includes 14 contacts that can offer guidance, help and support for you and your group.
Promote your Friends of Park group
Once your group is set up, you may want to promote your activities through:
- social media, such as a Facebook page, Instagram or X profile
- a website
- a newsletter
- a poster that can be displayed on local noticeboards. The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society has guidance on making accessible posters.
- universities, if you're looking to seek student volunteers
You can also use the online volunteering platform Can Do Bristol to promote your activities, recruit new volunteers and request specific skills or materials. It's free to use and you can create an account for your group.
Resources for your Friends of Parks group
The resources below offer guidance to develop your park or green space activity programme and group.
How to guides
- pdf Community asset transfers(96 KB)
- pdf Community events(128 KB)
- pdf Small scale projects(89 KB)
- pdf Large projects and play facilities(84 KB)
- pdf Large scale tree planting projects(88 KB)
- pdf Street trees and tree sponsorship(82 KB)
Roles in the group
- pdf How to be a chairperson(37 KB)
- pdf How to be a secretary(44 KB)
- pdf How to be a treasurer(35 KB)
Finance
Park surveys and engagement
You may need to carry out a survey before starting a project in your park to check your idea has the backing of the local community. Online surveys reach a wider range of people. Learn how to create effective online surveys. Or use our:
Working effectively with volunteers
- document Setting aims for your group template(43 KB)
- document Leading groups of volunteers agreement template(154 KB)
Sample policies for establishing your group
The Parks Community website have policy samples you can adapt for your group: